Wire cutter and insulation stripping apparatus



WIRE CUTTER AND INSULATION STRIPPING APPARATUS Filed July 2. 1956 May 3,1960 F. G. EUBANKs 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 myn/Ton, Y /oro 6. Eunn/Ks Aimer/ExMay 3, 1960 F. G. EUBANKS 2,934,982

WIRE CUTTER AND INSULATION STRIPPING APPARATUS Filed July 2, 1956 3Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTOQNEK May 3, 1960 F. G. EUBANKS 2,934,982

WIRE CUTTER AND- INSULATION STRIPPING APPARATUS A Traer/Ex United StatesPatent v 2,934,982 1 WIRE CUTTER AND INSULATION STRIPPING APPARATUSFloyd G.V Eubanirs, Pasadena, Calif., assignor of ten percent to RobertM. McManigal, South Pasadena, Calif. Application July 2, 1956, SerialNo. 595,338 11 Claims. (Cl. 81--9.51)

The present invention relates generally to the art of severing lamentlike materials into predetermined lengths, and is more particularlyconcerned with improvements in apparatus for the cutting andstripping ofinsulated wires.

The present application constitutes a continuation-inpart of mycopending application, Serial No. 452,854, filed August 30, 1954, nowPatent No. 2,884,825, issued May 5, 1959, entitled Wire Cutter andInsulation Stripping Apparatus.

In my abovev mentioned copending application, apparatus was disclosedfor the cutting and stripping of iilamentary materials, such asinsulated wire conductors, in which the main components werepneumatically powered and actuated. It is one object of the presentapplication to provide refinements and improvements in the respectivecomponents so that the apparatus may be operated with greater facilityand ease, and wherein greater accuracies of cutting and determination ofcut lengths of material may be obtained.

A further object of the invention is toprovide a unique microadjustmentin connection with the cutter blades, which will permit minutevariations and adjustments so that. the blades will cut the insulationwith exacting precis1on.

A further object is to provide in connection with the gripping jaws yofthe stripping mechanism, improved connection between the jaw member andpneumatic operating device.`

Another object is to provide a unique support for feeding extremely finewire to the cutters, wherein a hair like lamentary material will beadvanced and supported upon an air stream.

Another object is to provide in connection with the Wire supporting airstream, unique valving means for controlling the air stream, thisvalving means being so arranged that it may be selectively actuated toprovide the stream when cutting fine wire, and cut oif the air streamwhen it is not required.

Still another object is to provide an improved feeding roller mechanismwherein pneumatic actuators are utilized to move the feed rollers intofeeding position and nonfeeding position, and the utilization of springmeans for normally holding the feed rollers in open position so that thewire may be more readily threaded through the lfeed rollers.

It is also an object to provide improved simplified means for delayingthe actuation of the stripper mechanism with respect to the actuation ofthe cutters. Further objects of the invention will be brought out inthefollowing part of the specilication, wherein detailed description is forthe purpose of fully disclosing the invention without placinglimitations thereon.

-Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are for Aillustrativepurposes only:

Fig. l is front elevational view of apparatus embodying the features ofthe herein described invention;

Fig. 2 isan enlarged fragmentary view of the cutter and strippingmechanisms, certain portions being shown in llongitudinal section inorder to more clearly disclose the operative relationship of the variousparts;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational view,

partly in section, showing details feeding mechanism;

Fig. 3a is a transverse sectional detail view of the tensioning means,taken substantially on line 3a-3a of Fig. 3;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the same, taken substantially on line 4 4of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section, taken substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a transverse section, taken substantially on line 6-6 of Fig.3;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the valve mechanism for the wiresupporting air stream, taken substantially on line 7-7 of Fig. 8;

Fig. l8 is a fragmentary horizontal section, takenl substantially online 8--8 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 9 is a similar sectional view, taken substantially of constructionof the on line 9-9 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 9a is a transverse sectional view, taken substantially on line9er-9a of Fig. 9.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the apparatus of thepresent invention includes a number of component assemblies which aresupported in cooperative relationship upon a main mounting panel 10.This panel is fabricated from suitable material and is preferably in theform of a rigid metallic sheet or plate, and is secured in an uprightposition in a suitable cabinet 11 by conventional means. Briefly, theseassemblies, which will subsequently be described in detail, may begenerally referred to as the feeding mechanism 12, a cutting mechanism13, stripping mechanisms 14-14 and wire tensioning means 15.

The apparatus is susceptible of general application for the cutting ofdifferent4 types of iilamentary material such as wire, cord, rubber orother lamentary materials composed of different substances. However, theapparatus has been primarily designed for use in the cutting andstripping of insulated wire such as commonly employed for electricalwiring purposes, and the apparatus will be described in connection withsuch use. In general the component assemblies are in the main basicallylike those of my copending application, except that they have beenmodilied in the present embodiment for obtaining greater flexibility ofoperation and greater precision of cutting so that the apparatus may beutilized with extremely iine ilamentary materials as well as those ofheavier construction.

Wire, as generally indicated by the numeral 16, will be fed from a reelor other source (not shown), into a wire straightening device 17 ofconventional construction, and thence to a length measuring mechanismwhich includes a measuring wheel 18 against which the wire is held bymeans of a -spring presser wheel 19 similar to that described in mycopending application. Briey, the measuring Wheel is associated withcycling control for determining the sequence of operation of the cutterand stripping mechanisms, and which will not be described in detail inthis application. A micrometer adjustment 20 is shown which providesprecision control of the lengths of wire to be cut. a

From the measuring Wheel, the wire passes through the wire tensioningmeans 15, which will be described later, and thence into the feedingmechanism 12.

The feeding mechanism comprises a plurality of sets of feed rollers,shown in the present instance as embodying two sets of feed rollers,although additional setsV may be uti-lized, if necessary. As bestillustrated in Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive, each set of these rollerscomprises a lower wire engaging roller 21 with an associated pinion Z2.

The lower rollers have their'pinions 22 in driving relation .withpinions 23 associated with upper rollers 24;..in

Patented May 3, 1960 Y the roller peripheries to engage the wire andupon rotation feed it through the passageway.

The feed rollers are arranged for relative movements so that each pairof feed rollers may be moved into feeding position in engagement withthe wire, and slightly separated so that feeding of the wire will beterminated. For this purpose, each lower roller Z1 and associated lowerpinion 22 are mounted on a shaft 31, this shaft being rotatablysupported in antifriction bearings 32-32 mounted in the lower portion ofthe housing structure 28. Each upper rol-ler 24 and associated pinion 23are carried by a shaft 33 which is rotatably mounted in antifrictionbearings 34, these bearings being supported in a block 35, as best shownin Fig. 6. The block 35 is guidingly supported within a recess 36 of thehousing structure 28 for limited vertical movement.

As shown in Fig. 5, the block 35 is centrally formed with axiallyaligned recesses 37 and 38 which respectively open into the uppersurface and lower surface of the block to form cylinders. The upperrecess or cylinder 37 has a piston 39 operatively associated therewith,this piston being iixedly secured to the frame structure by means of astud bolt 40. The recess or cylinder 38 is correspondingly associatedwith a piston 41 which is biased in a downward direction into abuttingrelation with the adjacent wall of the recess 36 by a compression spring42 which extends between the piston 41 and the bottom'of the recess orcylinder 38.

The spring 42 normally acts to separate the upper and lower feed rollersso as to facilitate threading of the wire 16 therebetween. However,during normal operation of the machine, the rollers are moved into andout of feeding engagement with the wire by controlling the vsupply ofactuating iiuid such as air into the cylinders 37 and 38.

For example, admission of air into connection fitting 43 and connectedpassage to the cylinder 37 acts to motivate the block 35 downwardly tobring the feed rolls into feeding position with the wire. Admission ofair to the connection tting 44 and associated passages to the cylinder38 acts to motivate the block 35 in an upward direction so as to movethe feed rollers out of feeding engagement with the wire. Positiveoperation of the feed rollers is thus obtained in proper timed sequencewithrespect to the cutting and stripping operations which willsubsequently be described. The upper movement of the block 35 iscushioned at its uppermostjlimit by means of a resilient bumper ring 45at the upper end of the piston 39.

As in the case of my copending application, the feeding mechanism isintermittently operable to feed the wire into the cutting mechanism 13,but is arranged to terminate the feeding operation during the cutting orsevering of the wire, and during the operation of the strippingmechanism 14. After the desired length of wire has been fed through thecutting mechanism, as determined by the operation of the measuring wheel18 of the length determinating means, the feed mechanism will beinactivated so as to cease the feeding operation during the cuttingoperation and subsequent stripping.

Referring now to Figs. l and 2, the wire is conducted from thepassageway 30 of the feeding mechanism through a tubular guide member 46to the cutting mechanism 13. One end of the guide member 46 is slidablysupported for limited axial movement in a uid actuating cylinder, for apurpose to be subsequently explained.V The other end of the tube 46 issupported for sliding movement with- 'A n.spaanse in a bushing 48 whichis threadedly mounted in a strip block 49 mounted on the vcuttermechanism, a sealing gasket being provided to prevent air leakagebetween the bushing and the tubular guide member. At the opposite sideof the cutting mechanism, there is provided a similar strip block 49 andbushing 48 which slidably supports one end of tubular Vguide member 51,the other end of this member being similarly supported for limited axialmovement in a fluid actuating cylinder. This tubular guide member servesto conduct the severed wire portions to a point of discharge at theright end of the apparatus.

Referring more specifically to the cutter mechanism, as shown in Fig. 2,the cutter mechanism embodies a cutter spacing block 53 having alongitudinally extending bore 54 which is adapted at its ends to receivethe adjacent ends of the bushings 48, which thus act to retain thecutter spacing'block in operative position. The tubular bore 54 providespassage for the wire through the cutting blades. The cutting bladescomprise a plurality of sets of blades 55, each set comprising an upperblade 56 and a lower blade 57. These sets of blades have cooperativelyassociated cutting edges which operate in a manner well known in the artof wire cutting and stripping. Briey, however, the central set ofcutting blades have cutting edges adapted to cut through the wire andcompletely sever it, whereas the sets of cutting blades on each side ofthe central set are arranged to cut through the insulation only. Thespacing between the sets of blades, and the consequent length ofinsulated portion which is to be severed is determined by blade guideslots 58 which are appropriately spaced and extend vertically throughthe cutter spacing block.

The upper blades 56 are supported in a head member 59 by means of a pin60 which passes through an aperture in each of the associated blades. Ina similar manner, the lower blades 57 are supported in a head member 61on a pin 62. To change the length of the insulated portion which is tobe removed from the wire ends, it is only necessary to utilize a cutterspacing block 53 having the correct slot spacing therein for guiding theblades.

The head member 59 has an operative connection with a stem 63 which isarranged to be reciprocably actuated by movement of a connected piston64 in a double acting air cylinder 65. The stern 63 is extended througha cylinder cap 66, the projecting end being provided with a micrometerstop adjustment 67 which is adapted upon downward movement of the pistonto strike against a stop washer 68 and thus limit and determine thecutting depth of the cutting blades with precision adjustment. In asimilar manner, the head member 61 is connected with a similar fluidactuator and micrometer stop adjustment.

The air cylinders 65 are shown as being fabricated as a part of a framestructure 69 which is secured to the face of the main mounting panel 10by conventional means. Each air cylinder is provided with portconnections 70 and 71 at the respective cylinder ends through whichactuating air may be selectively supplied from suitable control (notshown) to move the blades towards cutting position and away from cuttingposition.

With respect to the stripping mechanism 14, substantially similarmechanisms are positioned on opposite sides of the cutting mechanism 13,these stripping mechanisms being arranged to institute relative movementbetween the severed ends of the wire core and the associated severedinsulation sections.

The stripping mechanism 14, which is positioned on the feed side of thecutter mechanism, will be first described with respect to details ofconstruction which are primarily most clearly shown in Fig. 8. As thereshown the stripping mechanism embodies a pneumatically operable jaw 72which extends through a side opening 73 in the tubular guide member 46.The jaw 72 is carried by a small piston 74 which is cooperativelyassociated with and reciprocable within an air cylinder 75,

this `cylinder being secured to and supported at its outer end lupon the`tubular guide member 46 for .reciprocable movement therewith for apurpose t'o be subsequently explained'.

" Thepiston 74 is normally biased by coil compression springs K76"76towards the bottom of its associated cylind`e`r,in whichV position thejaw 72 is retracted with respect to a wire passing through the tubularguide member. At its innermost end, the cylinder 75 is provided with aport opening 77 by which air may be admitted and exhausted from thecylinder. The inner end of the air cylinder is in' Fsliding Avengagementwith aplate` member '78 which is secured on lthea'djacent face of themain panel 10. This plate has a passage 79 therethrough which is shownas being registration with an air supply channel.

With'th port opening f77 in registration with passage 79, air (underpressure -will be admitted into the bottom ofthe cylinder and will causethe piston to be moved against the action of Vtlie'springs 7 6 to aposition in which the "jaw '72'will be moved into gripped relation withthe adjacent surface of the fwire 16. It will now be seen that ifthetubular guide member 46 is shifted towards the leftQby suitable actuatormeans which will be described subsequently, the airncylinder will bemoved to a position wherein the port opening 77 will be disconnectedwith jrespect tothe passage 79 and connected with an exhaust passage V80'which will permit movement of the piston and jaw to a position in whichthe jaw will have ii'iigripped relation with respect to the wire 16.',Du'ring movement of the air cylinder 75 towards the left, tension willbe applied to the wire 16 and it will be axially longitudinally moved insuch a manner that the end portion will be withdrawn from the associatedinsulation section which will befretained and held against moveirientwith the wire by the blades of the cutting mechanism, these blades'atthis time beingin closed position. Moreover, the feed rollers `will atthistime be disengaged with respect to the wirefljby supplying air intothe recess or cylinder 38. Upon 'movement of the cylinder as justdescrib`ed,"an adjusting screw 81, supported for movement therewith,will engage an voperating button 82 of a control switch 83. This switchforms a part of the control asdescribed in my copending application, butwhich does not form a part of the present invention.

tubular guide member 46 is longitudinauy shifted by meansy of an aircylinder 84 mounted in xed position on the panel 10, the cylinder beingconcentric with respect to the member 46 and having end sections 85 and6'whichr`are in sealing engagement with the tubular guide member endsupported for reciprocable movement within the cylinder 84. A piston 87is operatively associated with cylinder 84 and is centrally secured tothe tubular guide member so that it in effect forms a piston rod. The`ppp'osite ends ofthe cylinder 84, which communicate with the oppositesides of the piston 87, are connected With port openings 8,8 and 89which are respectively connected to air supply channels. A disc 90 ismounted in association with theY port opening 89, this disc having arestricted at its center for the purpose of effecting time ndelayoperation of the stripping movement of the tubular y'guide member 46with respect to the cutting operation of fthe blades, thereby assuringthat the stripping operation will take place after the cutting operationhas been complet'ed. The preceding manner of obtaining time delay isyferyisimple and eliminates the more complex use of time `l`delay valvesand other complicated devices.

v The strippingmechanism 14 as shown on the discharge sdeof the cuttingmechanism, is of similar construction to previously describedY above,and similar numerals `have been utilized toV indicate similar elementstherein. As clearly shown in Fig. 9', the primary difference resides"inthe construction and mounting of the jaw structure for fgripping thewire. More specifically, instead of the jaw being mounted within thecylinder 75 as previously de- `scrilied, thejaw as indicated at 72' ispositioned within the adjacent bushing .48 where it may be utilized togrip the severed Wire sections, when these sections are relatively ofshort length. The jaw 72 is formed at one end of an elongate lever 91which is positioned in an elongate slot or side opening 73 (Fig. 9a),the opposite end of this lever being swingably supported on a pivotmember 92. Intermediate its ends and within the cylinder 7 5, the piston74 is connected with the lever by means of a ball and socket connection93, thus providing universal movement and flexibility between theseconnected members in order that trouble free operation will be obtained.

Adjacent the jaw 72', an ejection nozzle 94 is secured to the innermostend of the adjacent bushing 48. As shown in Fig. 2, this ejection nozzleis provided with nozzle openings 94 which connect with an air supply andare adapted to direct a stream of pressurized air into the adjacent endof the tubular guide member 51. This stream of air travels down thetubular guide member and carries with it the severed end of the wirewhich is thus delivered to a point of discharge at the right end of thetubular guide member.

On the feed side of the cutting mechanism, the adjacent end of thetubular guide member 46 is provided with a wire guide nozzle 9'5 whichis arranged to support the entering wire in close proximity to the firstpair of cutting blades. The sizeof this nozzle may be selectively varieddepending upon the diameter of wire which is being worked upon.

Heretofore, it has been very diicult indeed to utilize apparatus of thischaracter for cutting and stripping very t by utilization of asupporting air stream. The mechanism by which this is accomplished willnow be described.

Referring again to Fig. 8, the end section 86 of the stripping mechanismon the feed side of the cutting mechanism'is supported and rotatablyretained in operative position by -means of a cap ring 96 (Fig. 8). Theperiphery of the end section is sealed by means of a circumferentiallylextending O-ring 97. The end section has an inwardly projecting bushingportion 98 which has -a radially extending bore passage 99'adapted toregister with a Wall passage 100 in the wall of the tubular guide member46 during the feeding interval and when the end section 86 iscircumferentially positioned at a predetermined point of its rotation. Aspring detent 101 is adapted to cause the rotation of the end section 86to dwell in the correct position, when the section is rotated by meansof a handle member 102 (Figs. l and 7). With the bore passage 99 inregistration with the wall passage 100, air will be fed into the tubularguide member 46 and in moving out through the nozzle V95 will set up anair stream which will support the very ne lamentary materials within thecutters. For larger materials which are more or less self-supporting,the air may be discontinued simply unique means for applying tension onthe lamentary rna- Y terial to more electively control the movement ofthe wire to the cutting mechanism by means of the feeding mechanism.Referring to Figs. 3 and 3a, there is provided at the entrance of thewire into the passageway 30 of the feeding mechanism, a tubular sleeve103 which reciprocably supports therein a smaller tubular member 104having a head portion 105 at its outermost end. This smaller tubularmember is biased against movement in a feeding direction of the wire bymeans of a coiled compression spring 106, one end of this spring bearingagainst a shoulder 107 in a counterbored portion of the tubular sleeve,andthe other end of this spring bearing against the head 10S; Moreover,the head portion v105 is provided with a circumferentially extendinggroove 108, a portion of this groove being in the form of a slot 109which extends into the bore passage of the tubular member 104, as shownin Fig. 3a; This groove and slot are arranged to receive therein theopposite legs of a U- shaped member 110 of resilient material, thismember having an vend portion 111 which is adapted toY frictionally bearagainst the wire 16 and form a drag on its movement. Due to this drageffect, the headv portion 105 will be moved against the eiect of spring106 during the wire feeding operation. Upon the wire being severed, andthe feeding rolls released, the compression spring 106 will act to movethe head 105 in the opposite direction and thus reverse the movement ofthe wire 16 for a small distance so as to carry it rearwardly andprevent its being forced against the cutter blades, or in the case offine wire from piling up.

The operation of the apparatus of the present invention will now bebriefly summarized.

Prior to the starting of the cutting and stripping operation, the wireis threaded through the apparatus, rst passing through the straighteningdevice 17, thence through the length measuring mechanism in contact withthe measuring wheel 18, through the tensioning means 15, the feedingmechanism as generally indicated at 12 where the wire passes between thelower feed rollers 21 and upper feed rollers 24, thence through theguide tube of the left hand stripping mechanism 14 (Fig. 1), between thecutting blades, and thence through the right hand stripping mechanism(Fig. 1) from whence it is discharged lat the right side of theapparatus.

Assuming now that the cutters have just completed a cutting operationand have opened to again permit the passage of the required length ofwire to be cut, the other components being in the position shown inFig. 1. At this point, the control (not shown) will have operated tohave admitted liluid into cylinder 37 of the feeding mechanism so as tolower the Iupper feed rolls 24 into engagement with the wire thusstarting a feeding operation of the wire through the cutters.Simultaneously with the wire feed, the measuring wheel 18- is operatedand through the actuation of cycling control associated therewithdetermines the operation of the cutter and stripping mechanism. As soonyas the required length of wire is passed through the feeding mechanism,as determined by the setting of the micrometer adjustment 20, thecontrol operates to stop the feed by supplying iluid to the cylinder 3Sso as to disengage the feed rollers from the wire, and the same time thecontrol supplies uid to the outer ends of the air cylinders 65 so as tomotivate the cutters and perform the cutting operation.

At the same time, iluid is supplied to the cylinders 75 so as to-actuate the gripping mechanism and force the jaws 72 and 72. to gripthe wire on opposite sides of the cuttters. At the same time, iluid issupplied through the port openings 89 into the cylinders 84. However,the movement of the piston to institute Van insulation stripping actionis not immediately accomplished, but is delayed due to the fact that thesupply of actuating fluid is delayed by the action of the restrictedopening contained in the disc 90. After a slight delay, the grippingjaws are moved apart so as to strip the insulation from the ends of thesevered wire. This action bodily moves the cylinder 75 to a positionwherein the actuating fluid 4will be exhausted so that the jaws will bereleased with respect to the wire. At the conclusion of the strippingaction, the screws 81 function to actuate the control switches 83 whichthen functions through control (not shown) to supply fluid to theopposite ends of the cylinder 65 to open the cutters. At the same time,uid is supplied to the opposite ends of the cylinders 84 so as torestore the jaw operating cylinders 75 to their normal position for thenext stripping operation.

Exhaust air from the actuating cylinder 65 for the cutters), or fromsome other suitable source is .conducted through ejection nozzle 94(Fig. 2) which operates to eject the 'severed piece of wire from theright side of the apparatus into a suitable container.

The action described above is cyclically repeatedand continues so longas the machine remains energized and wire is fed thereto. Uponcompletion of the cutting of the required number of pieces of wire, themachine may be automatically or manually stopped.

Various modifications may suggest themselves to those skilled in the artwithout departing from the spirit of my invention, and, hence, I do notwish to be restricted to the specific form shown or uses mentioned,exceptto the extent indicated in the appended claims.

l. In apparatus for cutting a lamentary material into predeterminedlengths: cutters selectively operable vto cutting and noncuttingpositions; a lever pivoted at one end for swinging movements; a jawmember carried by the other end of said lever and movable thereby intoengaged and disengaged relation with said material; a cylinder; a pistonoperatively associated with said cylinder; a ball and socket connectionbetween said piston and said lever; means to energize said piston andactivate said jaw into engaged relation with said material in timedrelation to movement ofV said cutters to cutting position; and means forbodily moving said cylinder, piston, and jaw in a direction to strip theinsulation from the severed end of the fllamentary material.

2. In apparatus for cutting a lamentary material into predeterminedlengths: cutters selectively operable to cutting and noncuttingpositions; a lever pivoted at one end for swinging movements; a jawmember carried by the other end of said lever and movable thereby intoengaged and disengaged relation with said material; a cylinder; a pistonoperativelyV associated with said cylinder; means connecting said pistonwith a point between the ends of said lever; means to energize saidpiston and yactivate said jaw into engaged relation with said materialin timed relation to movement of said cutters to cutting position; andmeans for bodily moving said cylinder, piston, and jaw in a direction tostrip the insulation from the severed end of the ilamentary material.

3. Apparatus for cutting an extremely ne exible filamentary material,comprising: a pair of cooperative cutter blades supported for movementsto cutting and noncutting positions; a tubular member having a nozzleend positioned adjacent to but spaced from said cutter blades, saidmember serving to guide a iilamentary material therein to said nozzle;means for introducing a positive flow of air through said tubular memberand out through said nozzle to propel said material towards said cuttersand form an air stream between said nozzle and said blades forsupporting a projecting free end portion of the material beyond saidnozzle end for movement to a cutting position between said blades; andmeans for actuating said cutters.

4. Apparatus for cutting an extremely fine tlamentary material flexibleunder its own weight, comprising: a pair of cooperative cutter bladessupported for movements to cutting and noncutting positions; a tubularmember having a nozzle end positioned adjacent to but spaced from saidcutter blades, said member servingto guide a iilamentary materialtherein to said nozzle; means for introducing a positive flow of airthrough said tubular member and out through said nozzle to propel saidmaterial towards said cutters and form a concentrated air stream forsurrounding and laterally supporting the material in the space betweensaid nozzle end and said blades prior to their movement to a cuttingposition; valve means for controlling admission of air to said tubularmember; and means for actuating said cutters. l.

5. Apparatus for cutting an insulated iilamentary material, andstripping the insulation from a severed end thereof, comprising: cuttersoperable to closed position Ito sever .Said material and adiacent endportion of insulation; a tubular member through which the filamentarymaterial is guided to said cutters, one end of said member beingpositioned adjacent saidcutters; gripping means carried by said member,and operable to grip said lilamentary material following a cuttingoperation; a cylinder having said tubular member supported for axialreciprocable movement therein; a piston carried by said tubular member,and being movable in said cylinder to axially move the tubular memberand gripping means to strip the insulation from the severed end; a portfor admitting air from said cylinder for flow through said tubularmember and discharge in a stream from said one end, whereby the materialis supported and guided by said air stream into the cutters from saidone end; and valve means for opening and closing said port to controlflow of air therethrough.

6. Apparatus for cutting an insulated lamentary maten'al, and strippingthe insulation from a severed end.

thereof, comprising: cutters operable to closed position to sever saidmaterial and adjacent end portion of insulation; a tubular memberthrough which the iilamentary material is guided to said cutters, oneend of said member being positioned adjacent said cutters; grippingmeans carried by said member, and operable to grip-said iilamentarymaterial following a cutting operation; a cylinder having a rotatableend wall supporting saidv tubular member for axial reciprocable movementtherein; a piston carried by i said tubular member, and being movable insaid cylinder to axially move the tubular member and gripping means tostrip the insulation from the severed end; a iiow passage through saidend wall connecting the interior of said cylinder with the interior ofsaid tubular member `for admitting air from said cylinder'for flowthrough said tubular member and discharge in a stream fromsaid one end,whereby the material is supported and guided by said air stream into thecutters from said one end, said passage being controlled by rotationalmovement of said end wall.

7. Apparatus for cutting a filamentarymaterial, comprising: poweractuated cutters; a pair of rotatably mounted feed rollers adapted toengage the material and advance the material in a direction towards saidcutters; pneumatically actuated means selectively operable to relativelymove said rollers into feeding engagement with the material, and out ofengagement with `the material; a tensioning member adapted tofrictionally grip the material in advance of its entering the feedrollers; a support for said tensioning member enabling limited movementof said member axially of said material; and spring means resilientlybiasing said movement in a feeding direction of the material, wherebylimited reverse movement of said material by said tensioning member willoccur upon movement of the feeding rollers out of Y engagement with thematerial. Y .Y

8. In apparatus having cutters for cutting a lamentary material, meansfor intermittently feeding the material in a direction towards saidcutters, comprising: a housing having an internal recess; a rst shaftrotatably mounted on said housing; a feed roller and a toothed drivenpinion carried by said first shaft; a block member guidingly supportedin said recess for limited vertical movement; a second shaft rotatablymounted on said block member; a feed roller and toothed pinion carriedby said ,second shaft, said toothed pinions being meshed and the'4 feedrollers being positioned on opposite sides of said material andcooperable to feedingly engage and disengage the material in response tothe vertical movements of said fblock, while maintaining the pinionscontinuously having an internalrecess; a first shaft rotatably mountedmaterial in response tothe vertical movements of said bloeit, whilemaintaining the pinions continuously meshed; means normally biasing saidblock towards its upper limit; axially aligned cylindrical recesses insaid block, one of said recesses opening upwardly and the othercylindrical recess opening downwardly; upper and lower fixed pistonsrespectively having operative association with said cylindricalrecesses; and means operable to selectively admit energizing uid intothe cylindrical recesses to move said block in opposite Verticaldirections.

10. In apparatus having cutters for cutting a lilamentary material,means for intermittently feeding the material in a direction towardssaidcutters, comprising: a housing having walls dening an internalrecess; a first shaft rotatably mounted on said housing; a feed rollerand a toothed driven pinion carried by said iirst shaft; a block memberguidingly supported in said recess for limited vertical movement betweenan upper and a lower of said walls; a second shaft rotatably mounted onsaid block member; a feed roller and toothed pinion carried by saidsecond shaft, said toothed pinions being meshed and the feed rollersbeing positioned on opposite sides of said material and cooperable tofeedingly engage and disengage the material in response to the verticalmovements of said block, while maintaining the pinions continuouslymeshed; axially aligned cylindrical recesses in said block, one of saidrecesses openingupwardly and the other cylindrical recess openingdownwardly; a fixed piston secured to said upper of said walls havingoperative association with said upwardly opening recess; compressionspring means in the downwardly opening recess acting between the bottomof the recess and said lower of said walls to normally move said blockin an upward direction towards said upper of said walls; and meansoperable to admit energizing fluid into the said upwardly opening recessto move said block in a downward direction towards said lower of saidwalls.

11. Apparatus for cutting relatively line flexible insulated ilamentarymaterial, and stripping the insulation from a severed end thereof,comprising: cutters operable to closed position to sever said materialand adjacent end portion of insulation; a tubular member through whichthe lamentary material is guided to said cutters, one

meshed; means normally lbiasing said block towards its upper limit; andiluid energizable cylinder-piston means within said recess selectivelyoperable to vertically move end of said member being positioned adjacentsaid cutters; gripping means carried by said member, and operable -togrip said flamentary material following a cutting operation; means foraxially moving the tubular member and gripping means to strip theinsulation from the severed end; and means for supplying air underpressure to said tubular member for flow therethrough and discharge in astream from said one end,'whereby` the projecting liexible material issupported in an extended position and guided by said air stream into thecutters from said one end.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,626,119 Olin Apr. 26, 1927 1,831,115 Holmes Nov. 10, 1931 1,835,801Mayhewet al.` Dec. 8, 1931 2,285,167 Montgomery June 2, 1942 2,320,659`Sahlin June 1, 1943 2,571,338 Calabrese Oct. 16, 1951 2,765,685 Statmanet al. Oct. 9, 1956 2,768,688 Wheeler et al. Oct. 30, 1956

